Could you please share a few words about yourself and your artistic background?Is This a 3D Model?: I think the best word to describe myself is "Teapot," because that is what I am, but I'd also say I'm a "3D model lover," because I am also that. I am a self-taught professional 3D Artist, and I am most proficient in ZBrush and 3ds Max. Have I mentioned I love 3D models? I just think they're so neat!Back when the so-called "AI-boom" kicked off in mid-2022, many artists were initially optimistic about the concept, what was your reaction when the first text-to-image AIs started popping up?Is This a 3D Model?: My first reaction to the "AI-boom" was, "These are not 3D models, so who even cares?" But I tried many tools such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, DALL-E, and was consistently underwhelmed by the results. I found much better inspiration and ideas by looking up artists' work online. I've tried many times to "adapt AI into my workflow," but I often found it made my workflow worse, both quality and productivity-wise. So now I call it out for what it is – stinky!Were you among those whose opinion on generative artificial intelligence changed over time, or were you anti-AI from the beginning? When would you say most creators started to recognize the unfair practices and overall shady behavior of AI companies and their language models?Is This a 3D Model?: I always hated how companies collected people's work without permission, and I always laughed at AI bros who pretended to be fine artists because they typed a prompt! But in the beginning, I thought the tech had more promise and potential.As time went on, I tried it more and didn't see much value in it. To this day, there is very little it can actually help me with (and I still try). I also observed many instances of shady behavior from AI companies, they act very sus on Twitter. And can you believe, some of these gen-3D companies have the nerve to call a model "high quality" when it looks terrible? Like, c'mon man, have you looked at a 3D model at any point in the last few years? Totally embarrassing!I might be mistaken here, but I think the first instance of mass protests against AI took place in December 2022 with the "Say No to AI Images" movement on ArtStation. What were your thoughts as that protest unfolded? In your opinion, are such online campaigns effective or not?Is This a 3D Model?: I thought the protest was rad! I even uploaded a "No AI" Image on my personal portfolio when it happened. I don't know if banning AI entirely will ever be possible, but ArtStation was being a total butt and could have done a better job allowing users to filter AI out or report people who are misrepresenting their skill sets. It is a professional portfolio site after all.Let's talk about Is This a 3D Model?, when was the page created? What first inspired you to start it? What goal do you ultimately want to achieve with your work?Is This a 3D Model?: This Twitter page started as a joke about a year ago. Whenever I would post negative comments on AI on my main 3D art account, AI bros would show up in my comments with some weird Midjourney images and try to tell me "give up, bro, it's over for you!" However, because AI bros don't know much about art, technology, or, well, anything, I would politely inform them that what they posted was not a 3D model.Over time, this became very frequent for people to post "3D modeling workflows of the future," where the final result was not a 3D model. I decided someone needed to take a stand for all the poor, defenseless 3D models out there!As the page grew, I decided I wanted to use it more to highlight the great work 3D Artists are doing and trying to make more "yes" posts than "no" posts. I hope to call out a lot more of these bad workflows that AI accounts are trying to promote as "the future" and encourage more 3D Artists to stay on the course and learn valuable skills. There are a lot of forces discouraging people from creating art these days. But I truly think genAI is not as capable as it's being made out to be, and all this does is prevent more people from discovering the joy of creation. And that is lame!How do you make sure you're answering the "Is this a 3D model?" question correctly for dozens of projects each week?Is This a 3D Model?: It's actually a lot easier than you think in most cases! I usually check the source, if the poster has an art portfolio, pretty safe bet it's a 3D model – AI bros don't have art portfolios. Also, when you've looked at 3D work for a long time, sometimes you can just develop the eye and tell! Can you see the faceted edges around the shape? Does it look suspiciously overly polished with no attention to literally any details? Are they calling it 3D but posting a Midjourney SREF? I think some of the ones I've classified that are the most surprising are ones that try to create the vibe of N64 games, and I suspect people are either too young to know what N64 games actually look like or just forgot.Based on your experience running the Is This a 3D Model? page, could you please share a brief guide our readers can use to confidently tell whether a given project is truly 3D? What specific signs should we look out for to be sure?Is This a 3D Model?: We implement something called the SIP method (Get it? Like sipping tea? I didn't just make this up for this interview, I promise):Source: Who is posting it? Do they look like a 3D Artist? Do they have a portfolio? Or do they mostly post Midjourney images or 3-second video clips of people talking with robot voices and explosions?Investigate: Look at the image! Can you see weird AI artifacts that make no sense? Can you see faceted edges? Does it look like a consistent 3D model with a well-executed idea?Polygons: If all else fails, can you find a screenshot of the topology? It won't exist with AI images. And if you can, does it make any sense? Some people even make fake wireframes with AI, I've attached a great example of that below. While this may look like a 3D wireframe, if you look closely, the details don't make sense. Why is a simple cylindrical cup so messy? Why do the trucks on the shirt turn into a drawing? It's all because an AI Image generator made a JPG of a wireframe. How silly!Usually, using one or all of these techniques, you can determine pretty quickly if what you're looking at is a safe, lovely 3D model or gross, yucky AI.Regarding the digital art industry as a whole, who would you say are the worst offenders – be it AI developers, companies, individuals, art platforms, you name it – on the matter of AI?Is This a 3D Model?: A lot of companies have sadly succumbed to the AI fad, be it fearmongering or overhyping. The worst offenders by far are the companies developing these AI products. They often don't even pretend to be professional companies and do all sorts of weird things. There is one generative 3D company where the owner resorts to posting fake endorsement comments all over Reddit. Embarassing!The second worst are all the grifters on Twitter who just post "Hollywood is Dead Part 85" over and over again. If AI is so good, you all wouldn't need to post so much slop! For the Is This a 3D Model family personally, I have to say one of the biggest offenders is some guy who compared our account to nazis because I said "no" on one of their posts. Wild!AI is, unfortunately, everywhere, but artists are also everywhere. Seek out the many talented 2D and 3D Artists on all the platforms and fill your feed with them! The majority of artists don't use AI and for a good reason. Pretty soon, your feed will be full of lovely art and 3D models, and you'll have brief moments where you forget AI slop even exists!Lastly, what are your hopes for digital art going forward? How do you think the industry will look in, let's say, 5-10 years? What can we all do to combat the spread of generative AI?Is This a 3D Model?: I would like to end this on a message of hope. While a lot of jobs will be impacted in the short term, I think in 5-10 years, the limitations of AI tools will be much more well-known than they are today. I also think AI will plateau at a certain look and style that people are already getting sick of today. A lot of companies that rudely get rid of artists will quickly realize they got scammed by AI companies, and they still need those artists because AI will fall short in many ways. Plus, many companies simply won't want their video games or their commercials to look like the weird slop plaguing Facebook.The best thing we can do moving forward is to keep focusing on the skills that matter. Learn art fundamentals, drawing, sculpting, anatomy, color theory, and, of course, 3D modeling! Don't listen to "adapt or get left behind!" AI tools are designed for babies! If you spend your time grinding your art skills and developing your artistic eye, even if you are one day forced to use AI tools, you will be the most qualified to use them. Does anyone really think in 5-10 years, "prompt engineering skills" will still exist? Puh-LEASE. Using an AI is already as easy as googling, and it will just get easier. People will always want people who are competent and know what they're doing, and the best way you can do that is by showing you've got your own skills!Art is a historically challenging field for anyone. It always has been! The only way you'll make it is by working hard at it, challenging yourself, and not letting yourself get discouraged. I always recommend people to have backup plans and figure out what a viable career path is. This was important even before AI.I was one of those people who gave up on art jobs, I never thought I'd have one. Thought it was too competitive and focused on a different career entirely. But I kept doing 3D as a hobby because I LOVE POLYGONS. I would dedicate time every night to work in ZBrush for fun, and now I'm a professional 3D Artist! Part of why I run this account is that I know what it's like to be discouraged from pursuing art. And I know if I ever extinguished that flame, I wouldn't be living my dream right now. I hope one day in 5-10 years someone reading this today can say this motivated them to put in the time and effort to become an incredible artist, despite all the naysayers, and got one of those jobs that supposedly wasn't going to exist anymore!Is This a 3D Model, 3D ArtistInterview conducted by Theodore McKenzie Source: https://80.lv/articles/we-spoke-to-is-this-a-3d-model-about-ai-3d-modeling-the-goal-of-their-twitter-page/ #spoke #this #model #about #modeling #ampamp #the #goal #their #twitter #page

A California judge slammed a pair of law firms for the undisclosed use of AI after he received a supplemental brief with “numerous false, inaccurate, and misleading legal citations and quotations.” In a ruling submitted last week, Judge Michael Wilner imposed $31,000 in sanctions against the law firms involved, saying “no reasonably competent attorney should out-source research and writing” to AI, as pointed out by law professors Eric Goldman and Blake Reid on Bluesky.“I read their brief, was persuaded (or at least intrigued) by the authorities that they cited, and looked up the decisions to learn more about them – only to find that they didn’t exist,” Judge Milner writes. “That’s scary. It almost led to the scarier outcome (from my perspective) of including those bogus materials in a judicial order.”As noted in the filing, a plaintiff’s legal representative for a civil lawsuit against State Farm used AI to generate an outline for a supplemental brief. However, this outline contained “bogus AI-generated research” when it was sent to a separate law firm, K&L Gates, which added the information to a brief. “No attorney or staff member at either firm apparently cite-checked or otherwise reviewed that research before filing the brief,” Judge Milner writes.When Judge Milner reviewed the brief, he found that “at least two of the authorities cited do not exist at all.” After asking K&L Gates for clarification, the firm resubmitted the brief, which Judge Milner said contained “considerably more made-up citations and quotations beyond the two initial errors.” He then issued an Order to Show Cause, resulting in lawyers giving sworn statements that confirm the use of AI. The lawyer who created the outline admitted to using Google Gemini, as well as the AI legal research tools in Westlaw Precision with CoCounsel.This isn’t the first time lawyers have been caught using AI in the courtroom. Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen cited made-up court cases in a legal document after mistaking Google Gemini, then called Bard, as “a super-charged search engine” rather than an AI chatbot. A judge also found that lawyers suing a Colombian airline included a slew of phony cases generated by ChatGPT in their brief.“The initial, undisclosed use of AI products to generate the first draft of the brief was flat-out wrong,” Judge Milner writes. “And sending that material to other lawyers without disclosing its sketchy AI origins realistically put those professionals in harm’s way.”See More: Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/666443/judge-slams-lawyers-ai-bogus-research #judge #slams #lawyers #for #ampamp8216bogus #aigenerated #researchampamp8217

With warmer temperatures on the horizon, it seems like everyone has outdoor living in mind, including Carl Hansen & Son. After continued success with the Embrace Collection designed by EOOS, the Danish brand is expanding the series with Embrace Outdoor Lounge Series of furniture fit for the sunniest days. The new additions include the modular Embrace Outdoor Lounge Sofa and the Embrace Lounge Table to bring comfort and craftsmanship into the open air. Call Hansen & Son’s partnership with the Austrian design trio dates back to 2015. After launching the Embrace indoor collection and latter adding an outdoor dining series, it was only a matter of time before lounge furniture entered the fold. “With the launch of the Embrace Outdoor Dining Series in 2024, it has been a natural move to now present the Embrace Outdoor Lounge Series, which brings something totally different to our outdoor collection, but at the same time has clear references to the existing Embrace Series,” shares Knud Erik Hansen, owner and CEO of Carl Hansen & Son. “We highly value our collaboration with EOOS as they bring something poetic to our collection and at the same time, they master solving design challenges in a way that is 100% EOOS and 100% Carl Hansen & Son.” Crafted from hand-woven flat rope and solid FSC-certified teak wood, the Embrace Outdoor Lounge Sofa channels the original Embrace Sofa with its clean lines and integrated wooden tables, but with outdoor living in mind. The back- and armrests may feel familiar, echoing traditional outdoor furniture, but the quality sets it apart – neach backrest takes up to six hours to weave by hand. With seven modular components and six textile colorways to choose from, the sofa can be customized to fit any space or style. While teak is naturally durable, the Embrace Outdoor Lounge Sofa goes further. Every part is removable, making it easy to repair or replace individual elements. This thoughtful detail not only supports longevity but also reinforces Carl Hansen & Søn’s commitment to sustainable, timeless design. To complement the seating, the Embrace lounge collection also introduces the circular Embrace Lounge Table. Though it carries the same design language as its indoor predecessors, inspired by kites and their wires, this version is crafted from untreated teak to weather beautifully over time. A total of 43 teak pieces come together in a striking daisy pattern – an intricate detail that speaks to the craftsmanship behind every piece. The original Embrace collection proves that design this good deserves to live outdoors too. With its superior craftsmanship and modular flexibility, the Embrace Outdoor Lounge series brings refined comfort to outdoor spaces everywhere. To learn more about the Embrace Outdoor collection by EOOS, visit carlhansen.com. Photography courtesy of Carl Hansen & Søn. Source: https://design-milk.com/carl-hansen-son-adds-outdoor-lounge-series-inspired-by-kites/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=carl-hansen-son-adds-outdoor-lounge-series-inspired-by-kites #carl #hansen #ampamp #son #adds #outdoor #lounge #series #inspired #kites

Called the RDR System, this C++-only project was developed to showcase how the Advanced Locomotion System Refactored (ALS) can be integrated with Motion Matching features from the Game Animation Sample Project (GASP).While it's not a complete gameplay framework, the RDR System is designed to serve as a learning resource and a foundation for exploring advanced animation workflows. It's available for free, as David Pusher combined two separate projects and a third-party asset with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding of how these systems work and, as he explained, sharing something that others might also find helpful.RDR System features:Hybrid locomotion system, built on top of ALS and GASP core logic, clean and extensible C++ foundation, suitable for learning or rapid prototyping;Seamless switching between first-person and third-person perspectives, both views fully supported with dedicated animations and weapon logic;Modular weapon component system, designed to work with both first- and third-person modes, includes ready-to-use animations for equipping, unequipping, and aiming weapons and supports placeholder visibility logic for cinematic transitions and mesh control;Motion Matching integration for smooth, realistic animation transitions, works in both first-person and third-person modes and blends responsive gameplay with high-fidelity motion capture data. Source: https://80.lv/articles/free-c-system-that-combines-als-gasp-motion-matching-for-unreal-engine-5/ #free #system #that #combines #als #gasp #ampamp #motion #matching #for #unreal #engine

The Qatari royal family has proposed gifting President Donald Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 plane to use as a temporary Air Force One during his remaining time in the White House. The aircraft would then be donated to his presidential foundation after he leaves office, opening up the possibility of Trump using it for personal travel. (While the New York Times reported that a Qatari official said the proposal is still being discussed, Trump plans to accept the gift — though he told reporters on Monday that he would not use the plane once his presidency ends.)The plane is estimated to cost around $400 million, and Democrats have criticized the idea of the president receiving such an expensive gift. “This is not normal. This is blatant corruption,” Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts wrote on X. “Trump First, America Last.”Trump defended the plan, saying he would be a “stupid person” if he declined the gesture. “So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump wrote in a social media post. “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!”But it’s not just Democrats who are worried about the transaction. Some Republican senators have also raised security and legal concerns, with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia saying that the White House would “need to look at the constitutionality” of the gift.It’s true that part of the job of being president of the United States is to engage in diplomacy, and that very often includes exchanging gifts with foreign dignitaries and governments. Many of these gifts are symbolic gestures, like the pair of pandas China presented to President Richard Nixon in 1972. Other gifts are luxurious and intended to impress, like the $20,000, 7.5-carat diamond India presented to former first lady Jill Biden in 2023. Presidents have also received gifts in the form of 300 pounds of raw lamb, a puppy, oriental rugs, a gold mechanical bird, swords, and a Burberry coat. So what’s different this time? And why should we care about what other countries give to the president? How presidents are supposed to accept giftsAs past administrations have shown, it’s typical for presidents to accept gifts. But there are still laws in place to ensure that governments, be they foreign or domestic, can’t curry favor with presidents this way. In 1966, Congress passed a law — the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act — to cap the monetary value of a gift the president is allowed to personally accept. As of 2023, that amount is $480. This means that the president can accept gifts of any amount on behalf of the country but, after leaving office, they can only keep the gifts that are worth less than $480. If they want to hold on to a more expensive gift, they have to buy it themselves from the government at the estimated market rate. Otherwise, these gifts are typically sent to the National Archives, ultimately transferring ownership to the American people, not any specific individual. That’s why the Bidens didn’t take home the diamond from India and instead left it behind in the East Wing for official use. And the puppy was given to a family in Maryland because, per Axios, it “couldn’t be archived.” And it’s probably safe to say that no president has ever accepted a gift worth $400 million. In addition to the Foreign Gifts and Declarations Act, the US Constitution also has two emoluments clauses. These bar presidents from receiving money or gifts from foreign governments, as well as other branches of the US government, to prevent special interests from having undue influence over the president’s decision-making. So before the 1966 reforms, per the Constitution, Congress had to approve every gift that a president received if they were to keep it personally — something that became harder and harder to do as the United States’ influence grew and gifts became more commonplace. Trump was sued for violating the emoluments during his first term, though the Supreme Court ultimately dismissed the cases in 2021.Why this mattersThe first and perhaps most important question you should ask about the whole plane gifting controversy is this: Why would a foreign government even want to give the president a gift worth $400 million? Sure, it might be intended as a good gesture, but a gesture that pricey almost certainly comes with the expectation that the president will give Qatar something in return. There doesn’t need to be an explicit quid pro quo to assume that the gift might be more of an investment — just like those looking to buy influence in the Trump White House might flock to buy stock in his media company or some of his meme coins. The fact that this proposed gift comes at the heels of the Trump Organization striking a deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar should also raise eyebrows.But while the plan to gift Trump the plane is not finalized and might not happen, the fact that Trump considered and defended the idea is still concerning, even if his past history shows that it’s entirely unsurprising. After all, in his first term, foreign governments spent millions of dollars on his private businesses. Last year, his media company went public, making his conflicts of interest even worse by allowing anyone to buy shares in his business. And just last month, he offered to host a dinner for the top investors in his crypto meme coin — which he launched days before the start of his second term — calling it “the most EXCLUSIVE INVITATION in the World.” That Trump is not only open to receiving a $400 million plane but also argues that it’s a prudent move clearly shows that the US president is more than willing to accept extravagant gifts. That’s a problem in and of itself because it encourages other foreign governments to offer similar gifts in the hopes of currying favor with Trump or generating goodwill. This will only add to the many conflicts of interest Trump already has, making it even harder to understand where his loyalties stand and whom he might be beholden to.It’s likely that Trump will run into a legal headache trying to accept this particular gift, especially because of his desire to transfer it over to his presidential library. House Democrats are already seeking a probe into the potential jet, and some have argued that it’s outright unconstitutional. “A gift you use for four years and then deposit in your library is still a gift (and a grift),” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland wrote on X.In theory, if the president accepts the plane and the government maintains ownership of it — be it through the National Archives or keeping it operational for future presidents or some other official use — then it wouldn’t necessarily violate any ethics laws.But even if Trump can find a technical legal argument for why he can accept the gift, the question is whether he should given the conflicts of interest it raises. And it would be hard to find an ethics expert who would not raise concerns. See More: Source: https://www.vox.com/politics/412901/trump-qatar-plane-gift-air-force-one #how #corrupt #trumpampamp8217s #plan #accept #qatari #plane

A former Call of Duty developer is wondering the same thing you are: if the franchise — which has released 21 mainline installments since 2003 — has run out of ideas.“It’s almost like The Simpsons — it’s been around so long that it feels like they’ve run out of ideas at times. It kind of wandered into left field,” Chance Glasco told an Oklahoma news station on Monday. Glasco is one of the founders of Infinity Ward and helped co-create the franchise with 2003’s Call of Duty.There’s a chance Glasco worked on your favorite COD game; Infinity Ward was responsible for series standouts like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2. “I wouldn’t say it peaked at Modern Warfare 2, but that was probably the best game we made,” Glasco said.While the series may or may not have peaked with MW2 (though anyone who misses running around with a silenced UMP45 might say it did — *raises hand*), there’s no arguing the Call of Duty of today is massively different than the Call of Duty of prior hardware generations. You may look at Squid Game and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossovers and think they’re cool, but longtime players might see them as signs the annual franchise is running out of steam in the “fresh gameplay ideas and innovation” department. Glasco clearly shares some of that sentiment.Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the latest entry in the franchise, and it being the sixth BLOPS should tell you all you need to know about whether Call of Duty is running out of ideas or if that even matters. Consider: the game had the best launch for the series, and was, of course, the best-selling game of 2024.Perhaps the most innovative Call of Duty has been is with the free-to-play Call of Duty: Warzone. The battle-royale gameplay was a slight shift from the series’ classic multiplayer gameplay, and launching in March 2020 certainly helped boost its popularity. And yet. “These days, I don’t play much outside of Warzone,” Glasco said. You and plenty others, Glasco.Just like people are still going to watch The Simpsons, regardless of its varying levels of quality, people are still going to play whatever Call of Duty launches this fall. Regardless of its quality — or innovative ideas.See More: Source: https://www.polygon.com/gaming/598920/former-call-of-duty-dev-wonders-if-the-franchise-has-run-out-of-ideas #former #call #duty #dev #wonders #the #franchise #has #ampamp8216run #out #ideasampamp8217

Marks and Spencer (M&S) has confirmed that customer data was stolen during the Easter DragonForce ransomware attack on its server infrastructure and will be prompting all online customers to reset their account passwords as a precautionary move. The attack unfolded three weeks ago and is thought to have been the work of a white-label affiliate of DragonForce – possibly the notorious Scattered Spider operation, which uses social engineering tactics to conduct its intrusions. The stolen tranche of data is understood to include contact details email addresses, postal addresses and phone numbers; personal information including names and dates of birth; and data on customer interactions with the chain, including online order histories, household information, and ‘masked’ payment card details. M&S added that customer reference numbers, but not payment information, belonging to holders of M&S credit cards or Sparks Pay cards – including former cardholders – may also have been taken. “We have written to customers today to let them know that unfortunately, some personal customer information has been taken,” said M&S chief exec Stuart Machin. “Importantly there is no evidence that the information has been shared and it does not include useable card or payment details, or account passwords, so there is no need for customers to take any action.” Machin added: “To give customers peace of mind, they will be prompted to reset their password the next time they visit or log on to their M&S account and we have shared information on  how to stay safe online. “Everyone at M&S is working around the clock to get things back to normal for our customers as quickly as possible, and we are very sorry for any inconvenience they have experienced. Our stores remain open as they have throughout.” The letter to customers from customer service operations director Jayne Wall – which can be reviewed here – also includes additional standard guidance on how to stay safe online. NordVPN chief technology officer, Marijus Briedis, described M&S’ assertion that the attackers have not yet leaked or shared the stolen data was “overly optimistic” under the circumstances and warned that even if passwords or credit card details were not exposed, the data that was taken was still very useful to cyber criminals. “This type of data can be used in phishing campaigns or combined with other leaked information to commit identity theft,” explained Briedis. “Consumers often underestimate how damaging ‘harmless’ data like order history or email addresses can be in the wrong hands. These M&S hackers could use this data to build highly personalised phishing emails, designed to look identical to what the retailer would send, and these are much harder to spot. “This breach highlights how companies must not only secure financial data, but also treat seemingly less sensitive information – like customer profiles and purchase records – as  critical assets that require protection.” Max Vetter, vice president of cyber at Immersive and a former money laundering investigator with London’s Metropolitan Police, also had harsh words for M&S. “M&S saying that customers could change their passwords “for extra peace of mind” does little to reassure those worried about who has access to their personal information,” he said. “As the fallout from this attack continues, customers want clear assurances about their personal data and what M&S is doing to keep it safe from being published online. “M&S want to appear in control and telling people to be more vigilant, however, telling customers there’s no need to act risks does potentially the wrong message. We recommend all customers reset their password. Zetter reaffirmed the stolen data would be prime material for downstream social engineering and phishing attacks, especially if it is indeed in the hands of Scattered Spider who, he said, “often play a long game”. Meanwhile, disruption from the parallel DragonForce attack on Co-op continues, with the BBC today reporting that stores in the Channel Islands are experiencing particularly acute shortages and are now working with local suppliers to maintain some supplies. In other remote parts of the UK, including the Hebrides in Scotland, residents are similarly contending with disruption to deliveries. On many islands, such as whisky-making hub Islay, where Co-op stores is the only large food retailer operating, these shortages are now extending to supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables. Co-op has also confirmed that data has been stolen, including names, dates of birth and contact information, but not passwords, financial details, or any information on members’ shopping habits or other interactions with the organisation. Timeline: UK retail cyber attacks 22 April 2025: A cyber attack at M&S has caused significant disruption to customers, leaving them unable to make contactless payments or use click-and-collect services. 24 April: M&S is still unable to provide contactless payment or click-and-collect services amid a cyber attack that it says has forced it to move a number of processes offline to safeguard its customers, staff and business. 25 April: M&S shuts down online sales as it works to contain and mitigate a severe cyber attack on its systems. 29 April: The infamous Scattered Spider hacking collective may have been behind the ongoing cyber attack on M&S that has crippled systems at the retailer and left its ecommerce operation in disarray. 30 April: A developing cyber incident at Co-op has forced the retailer to pull the plug on some of its IT systems as it works to contain the attack. 1 May: Co-op tells staff to stop using their VPNs and be wary that their communications channels may be being monitored, as a cyber attack on the organisation continues to develop. 1 May: Harrods confirms it is the latest UK retailer to experience a cyber attack, shutting off a number of systems in an attempt to lessen the impact. 2 May: The National Cyber Security Centre confirms it is providing assistance to M&S, Co-op and Harrods as concerns grow among UK retailers. 7 May: No end is yet in sight for UK retailers subjected to apparent ransomware attacks. Source: https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366623565/MS-forces-customer-password-resets-after-data-breach #mampamps #forces #customer #password #resets #after #data #breach